


Father Figures

by LacePendragon



Category: RWBY
Genre: Abusive Parents, Established Relationship, Father Figures, M/M, Spoilers for V7C4, V7C4 Scene Rewrite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:54:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21537790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LacePendragon/pseuds/LacePendragon
Summary: When Jacques storms off after talking to Weiss, instead of getting back on his ship, Qrow gets a chance to talk to the Schnee daughters about their complicated feelings on father figures, as well as a chance to fight Jacques, verbally, with James at his side.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/James Ironwood
Comments: 50
Kudos: 307





	Father Figures

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was born from the most recent episode, and all my feelings from the previous episode. I really wanted to focus more on Weiss' feelings and her own struggles, as well as Winter's apparent character growth since we last saw her. Plus, I never got a chance to talk about Qrow's feelings about Clover's words. And, I've always wanted to write established ironqrow taking on Jacques, ever since I wrote Public Eye.
> 
> This was the result of combining all that.
> 
> Enjoy!

Jacques didn’t leave, immediately, even though Qrow hoped he would. Instead, he stalked off behind his ship, pulling out his Scroll to yell at someone who had called him. Qrow looked to one side and saw Weiss wince when Jacques’ unintelligible shouting reached them across the tarmac.

James’ shoulders lifted. He tensed. Qrow came up beside him, lifting a hand to his shoulder. James offered him a soft smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Then Jacques’ voice carried, and Weiss flinched, and James’ expression went dark.

“I’m going to go see him off,” muttered James. He pushed off and stalked across the tarmac and around the ship, vanishing out of sight. The shouting dimmed, a moment later. Weiss visibly relaxed.

“It’ll be okay,” said Blake, still holding Weiss’ hand. She stepped in close, their arms and shoulders pressing together. “He can’t hurt you the way he used to.”

Weiss closed her eyes. “I know,” she whispered. “But he still has my mother and my brother.” Her lips trembled and Qrow took half a step forward before realizing she probably didn’t need another middle-aged man around her.

“Qrow?” Well, colour him stupid. That was Weiss saying his name. She opened her eyes and looked at him. “Thank you.”

He blinked. “You’re welcome?” He offered. He lifted his hands in a shrug, unsure of what she was talking about.

She smiled. Tiny, trembling, but it crinkled the corners of her eyes. “When I left Atlas, you were the first…” She hesitated. He saw her rolling words around in her mouth, trying to find the right ones. “Maybe you weren’t what you wanted to be,” she said. Qrow blinked. No, he really wasn’t. “But you were what I needed.”

Qrow flushed. “Uh… yeah.” Yeah, he still had no idea what she was saying, but hell if he was going to question another teenage girl being glad that he was him. He’d done that enough with Ruby. Let the rest of them say what they wanted. He kind of liked the positive attention.

He rubbed the back of his neck and ducked his head. “Glad I could help.”

He startled as Weiss stepped into view and hugged him. He stared. Only Ruby hugged him, out of the seven. He looked up at Ruby, who gestured for him to do something. Slowly, hesitantly, he rested one hand atop Weiss’ head and the other between her shoulder blades.

“I’m glad you stopped drinking,” Weiss whispered into his shoulder. “I’m glad you _could._ ”

_Oh._ Qrow smiled, understanding clicking into place. “Yeah, me too.” His voice was rough. He cleared his throat and cast a glance toward the ship. “I… should probably go help James. Make sure Jacques-Ass can’t back him into a corner.”

Weiss snorted and stepped back from Qrow, a hand over her mouth as she giggled. “ _What_ did you just call him?”

“You’ve never heard that before?” asked Qrow, a wry grin crossing his face. “Oh, kid. I got nicknames for that dick for _days_. You want the list?”

Weiss giggled. “Kind of,” she replied, sounding disbelieving.

“Do you mind?” asked Qrow, nodding his head toward the ship. “If I go talk to him? Don’t wanna step on your toes.”

Weiss’ expression faltered, confusion, then worry, flitting across her face. She seemed to settle on a soft sort of surprise. “You’re asking me?” she asked.

Qrow blinked. “Well, yeah. He’s your father. Technically.” He shrugged with one shoulder. “Wouldn’t want to do anything that could hurt you.”

Weiss smiled at him, her brow furrowed. “I’m good. Thank you. Please go help the Gen—” She stopped herself, her smile growing crooked. “Your husband,” she corrected, using the word in a way that sounded more teasing than not.

Qrow chuckled. “Husband away,” he said, winking. Weiss giggled again. As Qrow turned and strode off, the rest of Team RWBY rushed up to Weiss. He could hear them talking to her, encouraging her, and he could feel eyes on him. He didn’t turn back. He didn’t know which kid was watching him walk away, but he had a feeling he could guess.

Faunus had stronger eyes in a lot of ways, after all.

The walk across the tarmac and around the ship was quick, and Qrow could hear Jacques’ raised voice before the bastard came into view. Did this jackass _ever_ stop shouting? Was a wonder he wasn’t hoarse. Maybe that was his semblance. Maybe his voice never went hoarse.

Would be exactly the kind of mostly useless thing Jacques could turn into a weapon.

“And another thing—” Jacques stopped short as Qrow ducked under a wheel strut and came into view. He scowled. Even with his stupid mustache – really, James wore facial hair better than Jacques could ever hope to – blocking his mouth, Qrow saw his sneer. “Oh look, the riffraff has joined us.”

James looked over his shoulder. His pinched expression smoothed. “Qrow,” he said. “You’ve come to join us.”

Qrow shrugged and strolled up so he was standing level with James. He shoved his thumbs in his pockets and drew himself up. It always tweaked his back to stand up straight, because he never did, but he needed to, for this.

“Yeah. Would have followed after you, but I wanted to check on Weiss, first,” said Qrow. He turned his head to speak to James, but watched Jacques out of the corner of his eye. Saw the way the man stiffened and glowered at Qrow.

James shifted and rested a hand on Qrow’s lower back as Qrow turned to face Jacques again. Qrow stepped closer to James, their shoulders pressed together. Jacques narrowed his eyes at the two, his sneer reforming.

“Did you really need to bring your _plaything_ to argue with me, James?” Jacques’ gaze flickered to James as he spoke, chin held high. Qrow frowned. He knew Jacques was doing it to piss him off, but after everything that had happened today, with Clover, it dug deeper than it should have. “And now he’s galivanting around Atlas wearing your symbol. Such a disgrace.” Jacques shook his head, his gaze going to Qrow’s arms.

James hand went taunt against Qrow’s back.

“Firstly, he’s my husband. You’d know that, if you’d come to the wedding,” replied James. Qrow bit the inside of his cheek at Jacques’ flustered expression. Take _that_ you bigoted fuck.

“I—”

“You were given your invite personally,” said James, “so I know you got it. You’d do well to remember my relationship, Jacques. Because of it, Qrow technically outranks you in the Atlesian military. Seeing as this is a military operation, on a military base, those ranks are in full effect.”

Now, Qrow did smile. A crooked, sly thing that he caught Jacques’ eye with. He raised both eyebrows and wiggled them. Jacques’ scowl grew.

“Secondly,” said James. “Weiss is a licensed huntress, as of today.” Technically, James hadn’t given them their licenses yet. He had a party planned and everything. When he’d given Qrow the speech, last night, Qrow had pointed out it didn’t really have an ending. But that had always been James’ problem. He didn’t know how to write endings.

Qrow never minded.

“What’s that got to do with it?” asked Jacques.

“Well,” said James. He clasped his hands behind his back. “It means that Weiss is now an official member of the Atlesian military.” He regarded Jacques, coolly. “She is my responsibility, now, Jacques. And I take threats to my soldiers _very_ seriously.”

Jacques scoffed. “I made no threats.”

“You were about to,” said Qrow. He folded his arms over his chest. Defensive, and Jacques would read it that way. But he needed the distance. Jacques’ slime felt contagious. “James cut you off.”

Jacques cocked an eyebrow. “Really? Where’s your proof?” he asked.

Qrow ground his teeth together. He took half a step forward before James put a hand on his shoulder. Jacques watched him.

“You really should put him on a leash,” said Jacques, staring down his nose at Qrow.

Wasn’t this supposed to be about Jacques? And Weiss? Damn. The fucker really did get under his skin.

Before Qrow could stop himself, he said, “Could put me in a collar, if he asked nicely.”

Jacques went white.

“ _Qrow_ ,” said James. There was horror in his voice, but the look in his eyes betrayed how hard he was trying not to smile.

“Do you talk like that in front of my daughter?” asked Jacques. He glared at Qrow and Qrow rolled his shoulders, easy as breathing.

“Nah, pretty sure that counts as assault, actually,” said Qrow. He tipped his head to one side, a slow, curving smirk etched itself into his face. “Though, I suspect you know all about the legalities of abuse.”

Jacques narrowed his eyes. “Just what are you implying?” he asked.

Qrow shrugged, pursing his lips slightly. “Nothing,” he replied, the picture of innocence. He rocked on his heels, folding his arms behind his head. “Just that you’re a very intelligent man, Jacques. One who knows every detail of the law.”

Jacques puffed up. “I pride myself on being knowledgeable.”

“Really?” asked Qrow. Now, the smirk entered his voice. He couldn’t keep it out. Didn’t _want_ to. And the smug, taunting tone of his voice drew Jacques’ focus. “Funny, how you didn’t know Weiss was back in Atlas.” He shrugged, slow, easy. “Gosh, she’s been here… what, over a week now, James?” He tilted his head to look at James, who’d been watching the exchange with narrowed eyes.

“Just about,” said James. “You should keep up with the news, Jacques. I did make reference to the stolen ship’s occupants being Team RWBY. You should have realized.”

Jacques visibly ground his teeth. “I liked you better before you _married_ this riffraff.” He jerked his chin toward Qrow, sneering out the word ‘married’ until it sounded like a curse.

“That’s too bad,” said James. “Because I like myself more, now.” He slipped am arm around Qrow’s waist and pulled him close. “And I am honoured to have him wearing my filigree around Atlas. It’s about time I stopped keeping my relationship somewhat shrouded, don’t you think?”

“Hey, I’m all for it,” said Qrow. He leaned into James and shrugged.

Jacques scoffed. “Oh please. As if there’s anything _prideful_ about being married to a _drunkard._ ”

“Haven’t you heard?” asked Qrow. He stepped out of James’ embrace to swagger a bit. Now, genuine pride flared in his chest. Especially when he thought about Weiss’ reaction, earlier. “I went sober.”

Jacques snorted and Qrow bristled. “Oh, and that’s going to last?” Jacques waved him off with one hand. “Don’t be ridiculous. You’ll be back in a bottle by the end of the month.”

Qrow faltered. He _knew_ Jacques was trying to get under his skin. He knew Jacques toyed with people. He knew Jacques’ opinion meant nothing to him. But still, those words, that thought, the very thing that had dug into Qrow since he’d handed his flask off to Ruby and told her to keep it, it clung to him.

Despair was easy, without anything to dull it.

James’ hand was steady and firm when he took Qrow’s, at their sides. He pulled Qrow to him and laced their fingers together.

“You never were a good judge of character,” said James. His thumb stroked Qrow’s hand. Qrow could see Jacques watching their hands. Disgust lingered in his eyes, even as he schooled his expression to something cooler.

“Better than you,” muttered Jacques.

“No, you’re not,” said James. “In any way, shape, or form, if we’re honest.”

“You’d do well to watch your mouth,” said Jacques. “I do have _some_ sway in Atlas.” He scowled at Qrow. “More than him.” He stalked passed the two of them, not quite shoving into them, but close enough that Qrow felt the air rustle between them.

“Not for long,” muttered James. He looked at Qrow. “When he loses this election, it’ll destroy his reputation.”

Qrow grinned. “Oh, I can’t _fucking_ wait to watch him burn.”

“We should probably head back to the kids,” said James. He sighed. Qrow squeezed his hand and smiled at him.

“Probably,” he agreed. They walked back to the kids, behind Jacques enough that he was barely visible. By the time they circled the ship, Jacques was on-board, and he took off just as soon as Qrow and James were clear.

James said, “Good riddance.”

“You know,” said Qrow, leaning into James. “You could have him assassinated.”

James hummed. “I’ve thought about it,” he said, his tone conversational. “But, unfortunately, I think it’d be rather obvious it was me.”

Qrow snapped his fingers with his free hand. “Damn,” he replied.

They both laughed.

As they approached the kids, Qrow saw a few cargo trucks close-by. He raised his eyebrows, wondering. James’ Scroll beeped and he quietly excused himself, walking away to handle it.

Penny was there, as well. She stood off to the side, chatting with Ruby. Ruby seemed happy enough to see her, but there was conflict in her shoulders and her eyes that betrayed her complicated feelings. Qrow vowed to talk to her about that, later.

First, he had his own complicated feelings to sort out. Feelings that tugged at his gut whenever he thought of their completed mission, for too long.

“Is he gone?” Winter peered out from a cargo truck, her eyes wide and darting. At Yang’s nod, Winter stepped out of the truck, and it drove away. Weiss darted up to her sister and hugged her. The two wrapped their arms around each other.

“Yeah, he’s gone,” said Qrow. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You know, one of these days you’re gonna have to talk to him.”

Winter bowed her head and rested her forehead in Weiss’ hair. She took a breath, visibly steeling herself, before releasing Weiss.

“I know, but it’s best not to do that in front of Weiss,” said Winter. She spoke to the ground, her head bowed and her lips barely moving. “She doesn’t need to be dragged into my drama.”

Qrow narrowed his eyes. “Kid,” Winter twitched, but Qrow kept going, “what the hell did you _say_ to have you so scared of him?”

Winter’s head shot up and she glared. “I’m not scared!” protested Winter. She stomped one foot in a gesture Qrow was used to seeing in Weiss. He quirked an eyebrow at her. “I…” She grimaced and looked away, fists clenched at her sides. “I may… have told him I wished the rumours of the general’s affair with my mother, in the past, were true… so that I could be the general’s daughter, instead of his.” Her cheeks burned brighter the longer she spoke.

Weiss’ jaw dropped open. Ruby gasped.

Qrow let out a sharp bark of laughter. “Holy _shit_ , ice queen.” He reached up and rubbed a hand through his hair. “That… fuck that’s a hell of a thing to say to the man. _Especially_ knowing that those rumours piss him off that much.” Qrow grinned, still chuckling. “Not to mention, Jim is gay. Really openly, too.”

Winter nodded. “When those rumours started, however, twenty-five years ago, he wasn’t,” she replied. She flushed. “Openly gay, I mean, not that he wasn’t—” She cut herself off and sighed. She put her face in her hands. “I hate words.”

Yang and Ruby both snickered. Qrow shook his head, smiling.

“You know,” said Qrow, tilting his head. “If you were James’, you’d be mine, too.”

Winter lifted her head, her expression shifting to something akin to _horror._ “Oh Brothers, I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Yup,” said Qrow. He folded his arms behind his head. “And I think I’m full up on surrogate daughters.” He jerked a thumb toward Weiss. “Your sister filled my quota.”

Blake lifted her head, brow furrowed. “Wait. Didn’t I rejoin the team after Weiss?” There was genuine concern in her voice that had Qrow shifting his own expression to something soft as he turned to face her.

“I’ve always got room for you, Blake. You’re perfect,” said Qrow. Blake smiled, her ears – the human ones – turning red – and her cat ears turning down to her head in embarrassment.

“Thank you,” she mumbled.

Yang threw an arm over her shoulders and grinned at her, giving Qrow a thumb’s up.

James walked back over, raising his eyebrows at the scene around him.

“Do I want to know?” he asked.

Qrow snorted. “Probably not,” he said. He didn’t know if James was aware of Winter’s last words to Jacques, but he figured it wasn’t his to tell, either way. “We good to go?”

“Oh, yes!” said Penny. She bounced in place. “Can we please go up to the arena now?”

“We’re going up to the arena?” asked Nora. She skipped toward them, Ren on one side of her and Jaune on the other. She seemed in better spirits than when she’d spoken to Elm.

Which just put a sour taste in Qrow’s mouth, all over again. The Ace-Ops were co-workers, not friends, and what had happened probably wasn’t personal. But had it been Clover, or James? The thought plagued him. With James here, Qrow wanted to talk to him about it.

Sooner, rather than later.

“Yes,” said James. “There is something I’d like to share with all of you. Please.” He gestured to an airship that had flown up and landed. “The Ace-Ops will be leaving on their own ship.” He gestured to a smaller one, which the Ace-Ops loaded in to. Clover gave a salute, winked at Qrow, and hoped into the ship. It flew off.

Qrow scowled.

He _really_ didn’t like that guy.

The kids all piled into the ship, one after the other. Winter got on last, leaving only James and Qrow. Qrow reached out and caught James’ hand as he started forward.

“We need to talk,” said Qrow, his voice soft.

James furrowed his brow. “Qrow?”

Qrow nodded off to one side, where the trucks and shipping containers would give them some semblance of privacy. James nodded and waved off Winter’s concerned look, before following after Qrow.

Qrow took them to the middle of the containers, where they were hidden from the ship and some prying eyes.

“Qrow? What’s going on?” he asked.

Qrow took a breath. All the emotion hit him at once. The pain. The fear. The guilt. The _anguish._ All caused by one stupid man.

“Clover.” His voice wobbled. “His semblance.”

James blinked, slow. “Yes. It’s quite a trick, isn’t it? Why—” He stopped. “Oh no, Qrow. I didn’t pick him because of his semblance. I learned later.” He reached up and took Qrow’s face in his hands. “You know how I feel about semblances. I would never…” He trailed off, bowing his head to press their foreheads together.

Qrow lifted his hands to curl his fingers around James’ wrists. He slipped beneath the layers of clothing and glove and found flesh and metal. Clung to those living parts of James. His eyes fluttered, half-closed, half-opened. He wasn’t sure what he wanted.

“James,” murmured Qrow. “We were paired together. He acted like he knew my semblance.”

“He didn’t,” replied James, his voice barely a whisper. Qrow tensed. He wanted to argue. “I swear to you, my Qrow, he didn’t know. The only person in Atlas that knows your semblance is me. I never told Winter or Penny. No one could have told Clover.”

Qrow ground his teeth together. “Then how…” He cursed, barely audible, and turned his head away from James. His eyes slid open. The snowy landscape of the military operation stared back at him. They were partially hidden, from where they stood, but Qrow knew that people walking by could see them.

He wondered what they thought.

“Then why did it feel like he did?” asked Qrow. His gaze slid over the shipping containers, the trucks, and the airship that waited for them. From where they were, no one in the ship could see them. Qrow was grateful. “Why did he pair us up?” His voice cracked as he spoke.

“Qrow.” Qrow didn’t look at James. James tightened his gloved palms on Qrow’s face and turned him back to James. Qrow dropped his gaze. Shame, hot and viscous, flowed through his veins, chanting things at him he could barely understand.

James sighed. “He didn’t know,” he said. “One of the unfortunate side effects of Clover’s semblance is that he always seems to have a comeback for everything. It can often give the appearance of him knowing what you were going to say, before you say it.” He grimaced, the gesture visible at the top of Qrow’s vision. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to stop him from sticking his foot in his mouth.”

Qrow snorted. “Tell me about it,” he muttered. He forced himself to look James in the eye. “You swear you didn’t do this?”

“I swear,” said James. “I’ve never told Clover how to run his team on a mission. I might tell him to leave someone behind, or take someone extra with him, but I would never tell him how to pair people off.” James shook his head. Their foreheads weren’t quite touching, but the gesture ruffled their hair.

“So, uh, you telling him to leave Marrow behind, that wasn’t the same thing?” asked Qrow.

James made a face. “Marrow is a good soldier, Qrow, and a fantastic operative, but he’s… not subtle.”

Qrow let out a soft laugh. “You’re telling me,” he muttered.

James slid one hand up into Qrow’s hair and soothed his fingers back through it. Qrow tilted his head, leaning into the gesture. The tension bled from his shoulders and he sighed.

“Okay,” said Qrow. “Sorry.”

James leaned forward and kissed his forehead. “You have nothing to be sorry for. You had every right to worry. I should have told you, before you left, that I’d never shared your secret with anyone.”

Qrow chuckled. He lifted one hand to rub the back of his neck. “Yeah, well. I should have trusted you more. We’ve been married what, three years?” Qrow shook his head. “In all the time I’ve known you, you’ve never done something like that to me.” He tilted his head. “You sorta pulled it on Oz, back in Vale, with the tournament.”

“That was different,” protested James.

Qrow nodded. “It was,” he agreed. “For more reasons now than we knew, then.” He lifted his other hand and slid it over James’ face, his thumb tracing his beard. “You know, when I signed up to save the world, I didn’t think I’d end up with the Brady Bunch.”

James chuckled, low and warm. “Oh? Not enjoying your seven new children?”

Qrow made a face. “Six,” he corrected. James tilted his head. “Yang wouldn’t call herself my kid if it would prevent a puppy from being shot.”

James grimaced. “That’s… quite the description.”

“Don’t blame me,” said Qrow. “She’s the one who said it. When she was _twelve._ ” Qrow blinked, thinking back on that moment. “Pretty sure Ruby cried for an hour, after that.”

“I don’t doubt it,” murmured James. He stroked Qrow’s face with one hand. “Six children, then. I would say seven, regardless, but…” He sighed. “I’ve yet to see you speak directly _to_ Oscar, since you got here.” There was a touch of judgement in that voice that had Qrow grimacing.

He was pretty sure the last time he’d spoken directly _to_ Oscar had been to tell him to fix that wheel on the cart, at the farms. That’d been over a week ago.

Before that… Ozpin.

“It’s complicated,” muttered Qrow, dropping his gaze. “I’ll get over it.”

“Long story?” guessed James.

“Yeah,” said Qrow. He gave a little nod. “And not one I’m up to sharing. Not yet.”

James hummed. “All right,” he said. “But eventually, I’d like to know. He seems like a good kid. I can’t imagine what he’s been through.”

_No,_ Qrow thought, _you can’t._ He wondered when Ruby would trust James enough to tell him what he was missing. He wondered when James would tell Ruby that he knew they were keeping something from him. That tension lingered between James and Qrow, but Qrow figured it was mostly on his own side. James never held that sort of thing against kids. And he had to know Qrow was working off Ruby’s beliefs and orders. That this wasn’t his doing.

He shook it off.

“Are we all right?” asked James.

Qrow smiled at him. Fear lingered, in that way it did from years of self-doubt and self-hatred, but it was mostly suffocated by his feelings for James, and his relief at being back in his arms.

“Yeah,” said Qrow. “We’re good.” He leaned forward, his and James’ lips brushing—

But before they could kiss properly, James’ Scroll went off. James started and stepped back from Qrow, pulling out his Scroll.

“Ironwood,” he said. Qrow pouted.

“General Ironwood, sir,” said Winter’s voice over the Scroll. “I understand you haven’t seen your ruffian of a husband in over a year—”

Qrow snorted. “Oh, fuck off, Ice Queen, we had a moment, earlier.”

Winter’s hum came through low and clear. “Is that what that was? I thought it was indigestion.”

Qrow rolled his eyes. _Brat._

“Winter,” said James, amusement clear in his voice, in his smile, and in the sparkle in his eye. “Please, continue.”

“We need to get going,” said Winter. “I’m not sure I can contain Penny for much longer.” In the background there was cheering and a crash. Winter sighed, long and loud. “I never should have told her I wanted another sister.”

Qrow grinned. “Probably not,” he agreed. He remembered Penny, bits and pieces of her personality, anyway, from Vale. More, he’d seen Ruby’s Scroll full of videos and pictures of the two of them. “She loves that, doesn’t she?”

“Yes. An unfortunate amount, in fact,” said Winter. Another crash. “Penny! You can’t take Ruby up with your flight! You could get both of you—” She stopped, cursed, and said, to the Scroll, “Please come back.”

James looked at Qrow, who snickered.

“We’re on our way,” said James. He hung up and tucked his Scroll away. Then, he held out his hand to Qrow and smiled. “Shall we?”

“Yeah. Let’s go give these kids even _more_ reasons to give us heart attacks,” said Qrow. James laughed, Qrow joined him, and together, they headed for the ship.

**Author's Note:**

> Your comments mean the world to mean, even the "<3"'s! So, please comment if you can! Thank you! <3


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